1. Technical Field
This application relates to communication systems and, more particularly, to sharing spectrum channels.
2. Related Art
In communication systems, spectrum assignments are typically static with only a single user, technology, system, or service being licensed to exclusively use a spectrum channel in a specific geographic area. For example, a television channel may be assigned to a broadcaster exclusively for its broadcast services and no other service may use that channel in the broadcaster's assigned area. This static model is adequate when there are more available channels than different users desiring channel assignments. However, as the number of spectrum users has grown over the years, there are often more users now than available unique spectrum assignments, thus creating a spectrum shortage.
In some scenarios, the user assigned to a spectrum channel may not utilize the channel in every location or at all times throughout the day or night. During the idle times, or beyond the user's application service range, the assigned spectrum channel goes unused. Thus, the use of these static channel assignments may result in at least a portion of the available spectrum being idle at various times or in various areas. These idle spectrum situations lower the overall level of spectrum utilization.